Special thanks to my editor - Theteacher. This story would literally not be the same without her :)

Enjoy

I don't know how this started.

When did it become this powerful, this obsession? I'm really not too sure. I spent so much time fighting everything, didn't realize how much I was fighting myself. My feelings were so strong for her. Even when I was training under Orochimaru, I would beat the people he threw at me, but not enough to kill them. All because I was thinking about what she would want me to do. Would she rather me slice the victim's throat or simply breeze through their arm with my katana. Kill or beat ruthlessly? You would think it'll be a simple choice, but it's harder when you're thinking about another person's judgment.

I would picture her amazing emerald eyes in my mind and say, 'Is he really worth the kill?'

And after all of the second thoughts I would think – He isn't the man I wanted to kill, anyway.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

I was becoming attached and before I realized it, I was already whipped like that idiot Naruto. Yeah, it's obvious that he loves her (maybe more than I do), but he doesn't have enough balls to tell her. Besides he loves her, I have an obsession with the chick.

So after I killed Orochimaru, got my revenge on Itachi, realized he was good all along, got stuck in Akatsuki and murdered Madara, things started to fall apart more than they already were. A lot of unimportant events occurred, like Konoha 'locking' me in their prison for a year and doing 'testing' on my powers. I could handle that stuff, if it meant that I could be with Sakura for at least one day then alright. The village elders will never know the true powers of the sharingan anyway. Incompetent fools.

"Sasuke-kun." The voice repeated, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to see Sakura standing there. Hm, it's probably my birthday or something. Just looking at her reminded me of that phrase 'the light at the end of the tunnel'... literally. Her red medic uniform and bright pink hair radiated as powerfully as if she was a light bulb in a pitch-black room. Interesting how that works.

She was always this beautiful wasn't she? Her beauty was so fucking obvious it almost hurt. And I'm not just talking about her face. She's a real knockout. Pretty face, slender body with not too much curves and nice long legs. I don't pay attention to girls a lot, but Sakura was the exception.

I was amusing myself with how funny her hair appeared in contrast to the depressing black bricks that were 'supposed' to be chakra powered. I knew it was a hoax, but I played along anyway. If they were really chakra powered then there would be some sort of blue glow radiating from it, plus I could sense it with my sharingan. Besides, if I really wanted to leave, I would be in waterfall country by now. Truth is, they fed me three square meals a day and I have enough home training to stay where there's food.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sometimes I wonder if she had spent too much time with the dobe. I was already openly staring at her... and she's still asking for my attention. If anything, id say she had too much of my attention. My dark eyes glazed over to Umino's and I saw that he wasn't happy. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

"Uchiha. Were done with you. You can leave now." Umino's voice thundered through this piece of shit they call a cave and I wondered if it was really necessary to speak that loud. I shrugged and tore off the sad excuse for a prison system from my arms and legs. More like chakra enhanced wires and a weak-binding spell that could easily be broken apart by my eyes and a handsign. I didn't have to look at Umino to know that he was shocked, but turned my amused eyes to Umino anyway and gave a slight leer. Yes, I knew how to get out of here all along. I was just playing along with your little game.

He stormed off and left me with Sakura. Sakura said nothing as the man made unnecessary stomps out of the cave and I glared back at his retreating form. The bastard had been trying to search my head for months and I kept blocking it with images of Itachi.

Turning around, I punched the glass container holding my katana and quickly jumped back before the bomb activated. Once the smoke cleared up and Sakura stood silently in her slightly defensive stance, I took my sword back in my hands and shielded in on my waist. Don't worry, your back home now.

My eyes glanced over to Sakura's for a few seconds before I returned it back to my hand, watching as my lightning chakra appeared under it. Whispering Chidori, I slammed my hand into the nearby wall, breaking the seal keeping the bars together and watching as it fell forward. It made a loud clanking noise against the concrete floor and bounced a few centimeters before it settled on the floor. It's really crazy how I notice this stuff. Well, I am pretty delirious.

I turned my head towards Sakura and took a step closer to her. She wasn't scared. How nice.

"You need a haircut."

That one was not predicted. I was expecting a hug or a glomp, but I'm guessing she's changed. I ran a hand through my hair and noticed how long my bangs had gotten. The spiky black hair that framed the sides of my face got so long that it made a full bang over my forehead. My hair really is a pain in the ass. No matter how many girls get weak from looking at it.

"Sakura, I missed you." Before you stop reading my story and tell me how out off character I am, let me just say this. I had this all planned out. I was going to say something that makes me appear vulnerable, then make her mine. Too bad I missed one important factor.

Sakura laughed and folded her arms together, turning to lead the way out of the detention center. Not that I didn't already know how to get out. "Hard to believe that when all you care about is revenge." Hm, I'll admit, that did strike a nerve, but my obsession overruled my hunger to make her pay for what she said.

"Three years. I thought you had more anger than that." Her fists clenched. So I still affect her enough to make her emotional. Hn.

I heard her grind her teeth in anger before she stepped in front of me to 'lead the way' out of my 'prison'. Her heels made a delicate tapping on the floor, almost like she was trying to keep time. I knew I was.

"Anger doesn't even begin to cover it." I watched her long legs turn right and I smirked. I let my fingers grave over her arm and saw the shiver that ran through her. She hesitantly shrugged back from me, like she wasn't sure whether to allow me or not. Good, I love when I cause confusion. Sakura saw the pleased look on my face and that struck her own nerve. Maybe I let out too much emotion then and there? Nah, I think it was a perfect amount.

"Ugh, you know what Sasuke? You really piss me off." Ooh, feisty. Her arms folded and crossed just to add to my amusement. And the way her eyes squinted slightly from the anger just sent a surge of ego through me. Yeah, that's what I'd call it. "And why the hell are you staring at me so much?!"

I smirked down at her in the darkness and felt my sharingan flicker. "You're going the wrong way, Sakura." She gave me an odd look and sure enough, when she opened the door, it didn't budge. Her face didn't change, but when I saw her start to put on her gloves, I spoke up. "I know where the door is."

Her green eyes looked at me inquisitively and stepped backwards in a fake defeat. She finished pulling on one of her black gloves and left the other one in her pocket for safekeeping. Such a dangerously feisty chick.

"Well lead the way, Uchiha." She spat at me with maybe a mix of venom and annoyance. Mm, another feisty reaction. I fucking love it. I couldn't hold back the smile that fought to be on my face and I watched a tint of red flood her cheeks. Interesting how that works. I seem to be so interested in human emotions. I should have been a psychologist... Nah, I'm too power hungry.

"Sure thing Haruno-san." I turned fully around and headed to the proper exit. Whatever kind of security system they have here is seriously lacking. I'm a decent enough shinobi to know that if everyone leaves and exits from the same direction then there must be an exit along that path. And sometimes I really think they forget Kakashi was my sensei. He's known for being a copy and a tracking nin. Because of him, I can feel the chakra presences of any ninjas within a couple mile radius. If a ninja passes by, I could just follow it and lead myself out of this so-called 'prison'.

The door opened and I felt sunlight for the first time in months. Almost made me wish I were back in the darkness of that detention center. Eh, I'll pass.

"Nice seeing you Sasuke-kun." I watched her pink hair turn to leave, but I quickly called out her name. She turned back to look at me and the sun reflected against her bright green eyes so beautifully. Yeah, this must be an obsession.

"I can't spend time with one of my teammates?" A thin pink eyebrow rose and her heels clicked against the concrete as she turned fully toward me.

"Naruto-kun is sleeping from a long mission..."

"I meant you." She stepped back a little and the shock on her face was so cute.

"M-me? You want to spend time with me?" I nodded once and placed my hand on her back to lead her in the direction of the nearest restaurant. She said nothing and when I took my hand away, she leaned back, almost like she was missing the warmth from my hand. Does she still love me?

"Hai."

I couldn't help thinking about how perfect we looked side by side, walking like this. We almost appeared like a couple, except we didn't. As we walked down the cobblestone streets, stares were beginning to get common. I bet first glance went to me. I'm guessing thoughts similar to 'He's a missing nin... so why is he still here alive? Wasn't he Naruto's best friend? He was in the famous Team 7 under Hatake Kakashi. Isn't he supposed to be dead?' Funny how they think they have so much information about me, when they really know nothing.

And then to Sakura. The pink hair by itself is like a glow stick in a blackout. I don't know much about her now, but I know enough. The little weak girl who I used to have to protect could fully well protect herself. Top chakra control that can increase her power so much that one punch can cause serious injury and even death. Trained under Tsunade, one of the great sanin. Took out an Akatsuki with the help of Suna's Chiyo. She's also a well-trained medic ninja. The thought bubbles would probably go like this. 'She's so beautiful, is she really a ninja? She's so strong and determined. Her sensei is Tsunade-sama.' And a whole bunch of positive crap. I love how that works.

Since I covered Sakura and myself, mind as well do Naruto. Well the dobe saved the city... or at least the people in it. The city itself was destroyed and was rebuilt of course. Plus he's got some serious new jutsu's, of which I don't know about. That really pisses me off. All I know about him is that he's probably learned the Sage arts under Jiraiya and...

Hm, but enough of this mind rant. I probably blanked out for about a minute. Hope Sakura didn't notice.

Like a good little whipped boy, I opened the door to the sushi restaurant and earned a nice skeptical look from Sakura. We stood there for about 10 seconds. Me with my hand on the doorknob and Sakura staring at me, like she was trying to decode a scroll. Finally she sighed and walked in, letting her heels make taps against the marble floor of the restaurant.

"Sasuke, I don't know what your plan is but..."

"Table for two please." The waiter scrambled to grab two menus and quickly directed us to a proper table. I guess it was the look on my face. Or more likely... just my face. I pulled her chair out for her to sit down and her eyes looked from my hand, to my eyes, to the table and back again. Sighing again she sat down and I pulled her in slightly. I took my seat opposite her and that's when the string of questions came.

"Sasuke-kun, what is this?" She was so frustrated and mildly upset that she began to speak with her hands. And as she rambled on with her unnecessary questions, her hands pointed from me to the window, to making windshield wipers and half hand signs. I just stared at her as she went on and on about me and most likely about my actions. I caught certain words like 'bastard' 'fuck' and 'bull-shit'.

I wonder if she's going to get so worked up that she's going to use some of that hidden strength that I haven't seen yet. Maybe she'll even forget to put on her gloves. Does she close her eyes while she's ramming her fist into the wood of the table? Will she get so frustrated that she might aim her punch at my face or even try to..?

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!" She folded her arms on the table and laid her head down in defeat. The waiter came with the menus he forgot to give us 5 minutes ago and bowed twice, quickly leaving us alone. I don't think Sakura even noticed. Instead she slowly got back up into a sitting position and folded her hands together, one fully gloved and the other bare.

"Sasuke-kun." I kept staring at her. "Why did you even come back? We were getting ready to send a team to kill you." I would have laughed at that, but I don't know how much the rest of our peers have grown. They can probably cause some serious damage.

"Everything I set out to do was accomplished. Well, except one."

"And what might that be Uchiha?!" I was hoping this question would come.

"Why so curious, Sakura-chan?" She froze for a second and I knew I had struck another nerve. Another surge of ego washed through me when I got another piece of evidence that I still impact her enough to flip a shit on me.

Sakura bit her lip and decided to return my stare. "Well since you chose darkness over me, I figured I deserve a proper answer."

Ouch. That cut was seriously deep. Her words struck me so hard that I forgot my plan, allowing my emotions to take over me and a bit of my sorrow swept through my eyes. Does she really want to know what thoughts were running through me when I made that decision? I don't think she has the heart to hear it.

"It was either I stay with you and give Orochimaru the option of coming back to Konoha or just give him what he wanted." Which was me. She gave me a confused look.

"And what was so bad with him coming back here?" Her eyes bore into mine and a flashback of the face she gave me when I left years ago haunted my thoughts.

"The possibility of him hurting the people closest to me."

We stared at each other for another minute before she looked down at her slender hands and took off her glove, giving me another confused look. Pain appeared in her eyes and it was almost like a repeat of the face she gave me years ago, except now with a more mature face and a smaller forehead. Makes me wonder how many of these painful faces Itachi has seen. I think we've both seen a fair amount.

"We could have defended ourselves..."

"No you couldn't. He could have given you and Naruto the cursed seal. Or worse - He could have killed you." Her eyes softened for a second and I watched her get a little nervous.

"Killed me." She repeated my words to herself and ran a hand through her pink locks. "So all of this was for us...?"

The pissed-his-pants waiter came back to our table and was about to ask if we were ready to order. I glanced side ways at him and allowed my sharingan to flicker once and he was gone within seconds. Now back to the matter at hand.

Sakura's eyes were starting to water and she doing all that she could to stop the damn from breaking.

"I loved you, Sasuke-kun..."

"Do you still love me?"

She stared at me again and this time, the damn broke.

"Yes." The tears were flowing relentlessly now and she stood up to leave. "But..."

I stood up too, now seriously confused as to what the problem was. She still loves me and I am obviously still obsessed with her. So what's the problem...?

"I'm engaged to Naruto."